Strength training soreness - to beor not to be

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Cat_A_89
Cat_A_89 Posts: 93 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
That is the question.
In all seriousness is it important to feel sore after a strength training session or does it not matter?
The last two sessions I did I felt it during but not so much after or the next day. Maybe a little soreness when using the muscle/s I worked where as the first session I did (with heavier weights, i lowered the weights since) I was sore for 3 days after.
Was I right to lower the weights? From 15 to 10 pound dumbells. I workout at home and am just slowly building my exercise gear collection

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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Soreness is not an indicator of a quality workout. Soreness is an indicator that you're using muscles you haven't been using or working or that you are doing something new or changing the load. People who workout regularly typically aren't sore, or if they are, it's pretty minor and usually an indicator of doing a new movement that is working the muscle differently.
  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 899 Member
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  • Cat_A_89
    Cat_A_89 Posts: 93 Member
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    Thank you!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) happens when we stress our muscles during strength training, I find the soreness comes on 7 to 8 hours after a workout especially if I've not been as consistent (i.e when I do it less than 3 times a week). It can last a couple of days. Some weeks I have pretty bad DOMS, other weeks not so much, just a mild ache. I quite like the ache cos I know it's working. :)

    Personally I would stick to the heavier weights, but only if the soreness has gone, do less reps - and have a few days between workouts.

    Your body will get used to the weights and you'll be able to add more.



  • Cat_A_89
    Cat_A_89 Posts: 93 Member
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    LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »
    DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) happens when we stress our muscles during strength training, I find the soreness comes on 7 to 8 hours after a workout especially if I've not been as consistent (i.e when I do it less than 3 times a week). It can last a couple of days. Some weeks I have pretty bad DOMS, other weeks not so much, just a mild ache. I quite like the ache cos I know it's working. :)

    Personally I would stick to the heavier weights, but only if the soreness has gone, do less reps - and have a few days between workouts.

    Your body will get used to the weights and you'll be able to add more.



    Ive just gotten back into working out over the last 2 or so weeks after "letting myself go" for the last 6 years lol. I alternate 30 mins of cardio and strength days with one day of rest 2 if I really need it.
    I'll give it a few more days and If I'm still not really feeling it I'll move back up to the 15s
    Im kind of the same way about likong the soreness haha just wasn't sure if it was needed or not to indicate a good workout
  • Rawrmachin3
    Rawrmachin3 Posts: 20 Member
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    Any exercise you do is a stressor to the body. What varies is the extent depending on what you’re doing. To promote muscle growth it requires micro tears in the fibers.

    How does one achieve micro tears? You can do lower sets and heavier weight which is also very taxing on the central nervous system and requires more rest to recover from, or you can do higher reps and lower weight which requires less rest to recoup from.

    Both will build the same amount of muscle as studies have shown but to get stronger you must lift progressively heavier.

    I am a power lifter. Have been for 10+ years now. Im constantly in a perpetual state of soreness. It’s a dull pain in the muscle groups that I work. It starts during my workout and subsides shortly after I’m done then DOMS sets in around 12-24 hours later. Usually lasts around 3 days at most per body part.

    If you are pushing yourself beyond your prior best each workout then you’re going to stay sore. It doesn’t stop me from living life or doing anything but it’s there.

    I did legs yesterday and went from 135 to 585 on squats for sets of 8 up to 495 then I dropped to 5 reps for 495 and 3 for 585. No belt. Dropped down and did the same. Felt like I was going to puke a couple times. I push myself each workout. Always have.

    What my point of telling you this? If you don’t feel some soreness you’re probably doing too little and not challenging yourself enough.

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